green roofs

Green roofs are quickly becoming a standard for improving building energy efficiency and managing storm water run-off. Chicago became a green roofing hub during the Daley administration, and Toronto now mandates them for new buildings. But, unless a building owner has plans for a rooftop garden (and the care required for it), a green roof requires plants that can thrive under hot, dry, and sunny conditions. Farmer and management consultant Ed Snodgrass saw an opportunity here, and, in 2004, expanded his wholesale nursery into the green roof plants niche.

Are smart grids smart for cities?: Stephen Hammer at Harvard Business Review wonders if smart grid technology is the most efficient way to make our cities more sustainable.
New portal features green tech ready for funding: Looking for a green technology investment opportunity? The US Department of Energy’s new Technology Commercialization Portal features over 200 marketing summaries of technologies ready for investment or licensing. (via Environmental Leader)

In May, Toronto became the first city in North America to enact a green roof mandate: “…any new development with floorspace of more than 2,000 square meters devote between 20 and 60 percent of its roof to vegetation.” A centuries-old technology, green roofs provide a wide range of benefits!

You may have heard about Majora Carter, the host of THE GREEN, Executive Director of Sustainable South Bronx and upcoming host for a brand new series called ECO-HEROES. Majora has been a major proponent of greening rooftops in the city. In fact, her own rooftop garden is featured in an episode of BIG IDEAS FOR…

Green Rooftops are a great subject for everyone to consider. For many people who invest in property, making a garden on your roof is a great way to start bringing nature back into the urban setting. If the laws of nature are literally being enacted on your very roof, doesn’t that make life in the…

So, you’re in to this water-efficiency thing, eh? Really want to cut back, do you? We though you’d never ask… 1) Ease up on the meat. To produce 1 kilogram of boneless beef, it takes 6.5 kilograms of grain, 36 kilograms of roughage (coarse grains and pasture), and 155 liters of drinking water [www.treehugger.com]. Eating…

Spring has sprung, and with it the opportunity to start planting gardens, flowerboxes and the like in anticipation of a warm, fruitful summer. As with just about everything, TreeHugger has some favorite methods and helpful tips to make your gardening experience a little greener. Waterwise Garden is a great place to start to get more…